Special honour for three men

Cllr Geoff Timms, Cllr John Bailey and Graham Ridge have been made Honorary Freemen of Wellingborough

Published:16:55Monday 20 May 2013

Three men have been given a very special honour in recognition of their work for the borough of Wellingborough.

Cllr Geoff Timms, Cllr John Bailey and Graham Ridge have been made Honorary Freemen of Wellingborough.

Being made an honorary freeman, an honorary alderman or being granted Freedom of Entry is the highest honour Wellingborough Council can bestow. It was granted the capability to grant the honour when it received borough status in 1974.

Honorary Freeman of Wellingborough status is given to “persons of distinction and persons who have rendered eminent services to the borough” and is only granted in “rare and exceptional” cases. There can be no more than four honorary freemen at any one time.

Having been granted honorary freeman status, Cllrs Timms and Bailey and Mr Ridge can attend council meetings and have a reserved seat; get invitations to civic and social functions; take precedence over councillors, but not the mayor or deputy mayor, at civic functions and processions, and the flag on council buildings will be flown at half-mast when they die.